Improvement in refrigerating and ice-making apparatus



J. HORTON. Refrigerating and Ice-Making Apparatus.

No. 218,630. Patented Aug. 19, I879.

INVENTOR AZZQLE WU flW/m/ .4 TT ORNE I N PETERAS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPH'ER.WASHINGYON D C stances and necessities.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

JOHN HORTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATING A ND ICE-MAKING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,630, dated August19, 1879; application filed April 23, 1879.

To all whom it may concerna Be it known that I, JOHN HORTON, of the cityand county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Cooling, Refrigerating, and Ice-MakingApparatus, which is fully set forth in the following specification,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in combining with the machine an apparatus forapplying thereto an air-blast.for removing the frosty, snowy depositwhich forms on the refrigerating-surfaces of cooling, refrigerating, andice-makin g apparatus, which, when permitted to remain, retards theprocess of refrigeration.

Figure l is a front elevation of a refrigeratin g-coil used in the classof apparatus to which my invention is preferably applied. Fig. 2 is afront View in elevation, showing the invention. Fig. 3 is an endelevation, showing the invention and its application.

A is a refrigerating-pipe, through the ends B of which any suitablerefrigerating-fluid is passed. G is a guide-plate, having a coil-slot,in, opposite to and corresponding with the direction of the pipe A.

D is a blast-engine, and E its air pipe or hose, which leads to theguide-plate (J, and has its nozzle F passed through'the slotat, oppositethe coil A, at any point.

The operation of removing the frosty or snowy deposit or formation fromthe refrigerating-eoil A is as follows: The blast-engine, fan, or otherair-forcing apparatus having been put in motion, air is forced therefromthrough the hose E and nozzle F. The said nozzle rests in the convolutedslot at, and points at all times against a section of the coiled pipe A,and is in close proximity thereto. The nozzle is moved. around in theslot, and thereby ultimately brought opposite the entire surface orlength of the coiled pipe, the degree of speed with which the'nozzle isso moved being determined by existing circum- The mechanical force ofthe body of air ejected from the nozzle removes the light deposit oraccumulation which otherwise would remain upon the refrigeratingcoil.The ice produced by this machine is, therefore, deprived of all spongyadditions,

and is formed solidly and compactly.

The velocity with which the air is projected from the nozzle, and withwhich it strikes against and departs from the refrigeratingcoil,obviates the danger of any moist element which said air may containadhering to or freezing upon said coil, While its mechanical force issufficient to remove the aforementioned light deposit.

The blast may be applied to fixed or movable pipes, and to one or bothsides thereof.

It is obvious that the air must be used with sufiicient velocity toexert the required mechanical force against the formation of thedeposit, or to remove it when formed. The air used may, if desired, beartificially dried; but this I have not found necessary.

I do not confine myself to the specific mechanism herein illustrated forputting the invention into practice, knowing that any skilled mechaniccan devise and construct other apparatus embodying the main principlesof my invention for accomplishing the same result.

I claim as my invention-- In an ice-making apparatus, the combination,with the refrigerating coil or plates of said apparatus, of an airforcing apparatus and suitable air-conduits leading therefrom to saidcoil or plates, for ejecting air therefrom under pressure, whereby thesnowy or frosty formation or deposit on said coil or plates is removedor prevented from forming, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN HORTON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS D. PASTORIUS, I W. W. DOUGHERTY.

